Photo by David Iskander on Unsplash

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

Or, how to overcome imposter syndrome.

Disclosure: Any link below with an * is an affiliate link, which means I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

I was a child when I created my first book. Using construction paper, crayons, markers, and a stapler I created my version of a paperback, complete with crudely drawn figure sticks and a riveting story about…well, who knows. The book is long gone. The memory of creating it is all that remains.

I was about 16 when I first declared (to myself, in a journal) that I would write a novel. I didn’t have a topic in mind, but knew I was going to write a critically-acclaimed blockbuster that would undoubtedly enter the canon of great American literature.

While in college, I began a script based on Stephen King’s The Long Walk* for a screenwriting class. A handful of classmates expressed interest in directing a film based on my script, though this was likely due less to my ability as a writer and more to the story’s gruesome dystopia.

Now, at 42, I’m writing short stories and submitting them to literary journals. I’m blogging. I’m building a website and promoting my work and pursuing this passion that I’ve had for as far back as I can remember. Which is fine, but…